Te Whiti o Rongomai

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Te Whiti o Rongomai III (c. 1815–November 18, 1905) was a Māori spiritual leader and founder of the village of Parihaka, in New Zealand's Taranaki region.

In 1867, the great Māori chief established a village at Parihaka. He wanted his people to regain their land, pride and self-respect after the confiscations in other parts of the North Island. His aim seems to have been establish a new way for Māori to resist European attempts to take what was left of Taranaki.

With his close relative, Tohu Kakahi, Te Whiti led the people of Parihaka in their nonviolent resistance to the British confiscation of Maori land.

He was the son of Tohukakahi, a minor chief of the Patukai hapu of the Ngati Tawhirikura branch, Te Ati Awa tribe, and of Rangiawau, daughter of Te Whetu. As a youngster, Te Whiti was well educated by Maori elders, who taught him about the traditions of his culture.

It also appears preacher Minarapa Te Rangihatuake taught Te Whiti scripture and to read and write. Te Whiti also became a pupil of Lutheran missionary Johannes Riemenschneider.

While the Parihaka prophet turned his back on all acts of violence, he wasn't going to give up land without a fight.

And so, passive resistance was born.

"Though some, in darkness of heart, seeing their land ravished, might wish to take arms and kill the aggressors, I say it must not be. Let not the Pakehas (sic) think to succeed by reason of their guns ... I want not war, but they do. The flashes of their guns have singed our eyelashes, and yet they say they do not want war ... The government come not hither to reason, but go to out-of-the-way places. They work secretly, but I speak in public so that all may hear, " Te Whiti told his people in March 1880.

By that time, Parihaka was a stronghold of Maori opposition to the loss of tribal lands, which arose from Crown legislation. the government passed the Supression of Rebellion Act 1863. This defined Maori fighting for their land as rebels, who could be detained indefinitely, without trial.